Time management is a struggle for so many people because it’s less about managing time and more about managing ourselves. That’s why episode 03 of The Positively Living Podcast is about understanding and changing our relationship with time.
In this episode of The Positively Living Podcast, I’m sharing the importance of self-management as time management and actionable steps you can take right now to take your time management to T.A.S.K. I cover the following topics:
Remember to celebrate what you’re doing right. Even listening to this podcast is a step in the right direction to be celebrated. Well done!
Thank you for listening! Be sure to tune in to all the episodes to receive tons of practical tips to create space for what really matters in your life.
If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me! And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!
CONNECT WITH LISA ZAWROTNY:
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
(Find gear/book links at Positively Productive Favorites Page.)
Time Audit (Book a Discovery Call with me)
Best Time Tracking Apps
15 Secrets Successful People Know about Time Management
Music by Ian and Jeff Zawrotny
Time management is a struggle for so many people because it’s less about managing time and more about managing ourselves. That’s why episode 03 of The Positively Living Podcast is about understanding and changing our relationship with time.
In this episode of The Positively Living Podcast, I’m sharing the importance of self-management as time management and actionable steps you can take right now to take your time management to T.A.S.K. I cover the following topics:
Remember to celebrate what you’re doing right. Even listening to this podcast is a step in the right direction to be celebrated. Well done!
Thank you for listening! Be sure to tune in to all the episodes to receive tons of practical tips to create space for what really matters in your life.
If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me! And don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!
CONNECT WITH LISA ZAWROTNY:
LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
(Find gear/book links at Positively Productive Favorites Page.)
Time Audit (Book a Discovery Call with me)
Best Time Tracking Apps
15 Secrets Successful People Know about Time Management
Music by Ian and Jeff Zawrotny
Lisa Zawrotny 0:00
Time management essentially means we are exercising control. And as much as we have it on specific activities in our life to increase effectiveness and efficiency, also known as productivity. The thing is, we don't actually manage the time, we manage how we're using the time. And that means managing ourselves. It's about making choices, establishing efficient habits, and deciding what matters to us. A quick aside, if you listen to Episode One of the positively living podcast, you'll see how this connects to your number one productivity tool. When you get down to it, time management is more self-management.
Lisa Zawrotny 0:44
You're listening to the positively living podcast. I'm your host, Lisa Zawrotny, founder of positively productive systems, and a coach certified in time and stress management. helping clients make space for what matters most in their lives. Join me Episode and we'll talk about decluttering stress management habits, personalized productivity, gratitude, and so much more. I understand the overwhelm of life because I'm a wife, mom to kids and cats, and a former caregiver. I'm here to help you choose what's right for you. So you can do less, live more, and breathe easier. Sound good? Let's get to it.
Lisa Zawrotny 1:29
Today, it's about time. And you see where my mind goes, I immediately want to say, Wait, what's about time? The podcast today we're talking about time and how we manage it, spend it, invest it wasted, perceive it, and make the most of it. In this episode, I'm going to help you assess where you are with your time management, share something about it that might surprise you and help you take your own time management to task. Did you hear that? air quotes around that last word. That's because it's an acronym that I'll explain later in the podcast. If I said, there's not enough time in the day, would you agree? Have you said those words? I'm betting you have, or at the very least someone you know has? I'm sure I have and it's only my dedication to time management. That has kept me from repeating the phrase over and over again. It's a universal lament of those not getting to the things they want, need or hope to do. Is that something you struggle with? Do you have goals and dreams or Let's face it, even the most basic tasks that you want to complete but you don't?
Lisa Zawrotny 2:42
Let's do a quick self-assessment exercise. If you're driving or doing something else where writing isn't an option, listen for now and answer in your mind for a general idea of where you are with your time management. Then when you get a chance to replay this episode, and markdown Your answers for reference. One word of caution before we begin, this is a self-assessment. So this is based on your perception of how you manage your time. We are notoriously hard on ourselves. So keep in mind that this is for guidance, not a grade. Okay, ready? The wave scored is two points for the answer always one for sometimes and zero for never.
Lisa Zawrotny 3:26
We have 12 questions. Number one, I do things in order of priority. Two points for always one point for sometimes 04 never. Question two, I accomplish what needs to be done during the day. Always. Sometimes never. Three, I am satisfied with my use of time. Always. Sometimes, never. Number four, I tackle difficult or unpleasant tasks with procrastinating always, sometimes never. Number five, I make sufficient time for planning. Always, sometimes never. Number six, I prepare a daily or weekly to-do list. Always, sometimes never. Number seven, I'm able to meet deadlines without rushing. Always, sometimes never. Number eight, I prevent interruptions from distracting me. Always, sometimes never. Number nine, I plan time to relax and take care of myself. Always. Sometimes, never. Number 10 I periodically review how I spend my time. Always. Sometimes, never. Number 11. I avoid wasteful activities. Always Sometimes never. Number 12 I have a clear idea of what I want to accomplish. Always, sometimes never. Now let's tally up your points again, two for always one for sometimes and zero for never.
Lisa Zawrotny 5:20
If you scored between 19 to 24 points, excellent. Maybe you could give me some pointers. Keep listening and you may identify what you're doing already, or maybe discover something new. If you scored between 12 to 18 points, you're doing fine. You're managing time though maybe inconsistently. You'll want to keep learning and identifying ways to improve so keep listening. And if you scored between zero to 11, it looks like you're struggling. Keep listening and choose one thing today to try to turn things around. Time management essentially means we are exercising control in as much as we have it. specific activities in our life to increase effectiveness and efficiency, also known as productivity. The thing is, we don't actually manage the time, we manage how we're using the time. And that means managing ourselves. It's about making choices, establishing efficient habits, and deciding what matters to us.
Lisa Zawrotny 6:21
A quick aside, if you listen to Episode One of the positively living podcast, you'll see how this connects to your number one productivity tool. When you get down to it, time management is more self-management. In his book, 15 secrets successful people know about time management. Kevin Cruz sums this up saying actually highly successful people don't think about time much at all. Instead, they think about values, priorities, and consistent habits. Our struggles with time management can vary, which you may have noticed when he took the quiz earlier. We can struggle to manage time due to distractions and interruptions, we can use too much time on things we aren't able to properly accommodate or approach projects inefficiently or half-heartedly. These challenges relate to different aspects of how we choose to and are able to use our time, such as priorities planning, and energy. Whatever the case, the bottom line is, we have a finite amount of time to work through our demands and dreams. So how do we make the most of it? There are likely as many time management tips as there are minutes in the day. That's 1440 for those of you playing at home, but my mission is to be the antidote to your stress. So I've come up with a simple, easy to remember the way to course correct when you feel as though you aren't spending your time properly. You can take your time management to task with these four steps. Track a set schedule and keep step one T for the track.
Lisa Zawrotny 8:07
Your first step is to figure out where your time is going in the first place. tracking how you spend time now gives you a baseline to assess and make choices. And get ready to pay close attention to the clock and know in detail what you do when and for how long. add details about your excitement and energy because this will help you. You can track your time by taking notes, using timer apps, or entering tasks in your calendar. You can use any kind of timer and make notes as you go. An easy way to start doing this is by using technology. Choose the tool you use most often such as your smartphone or laptop. You can use apps like a toggle for timing projects and rescue time if you want to set it and forget it and let it track what you're doing on the computer. You just use the computer as you normally would and it will track what you're doing. I'll link to an article with a list in the show notes. If you have an iPhone or iPad, you can also use screentime reports that are under Settings general screentime.
Lisa Zawrotny 9:17
It's important to track what you're doing for at least a week if not longer. And I realize this may sound tedious, I promise you like any other journaling and tracking this works. And with so many apps to help, it can be fairly straightforward. Plus a bonus byproduct of doing this so that it creates awareness as you're doing it, and it will actually help you be more mindful of your time almost immediately.
Lisa Zawrotny 9:45
Step two is to assess. Now that you've tracked where your time has gone, let's figure out what it means and make some choices. You'll review your time spent and search for clues first Let's review what's taking your time. What are the obvious time vacuums? Cough Cough social media? How about the less obvious? Were there any that surprised you like cooking meals or helping friends at the drop of a hat? How many disruptions Do you have each day? Consider the source and how you can eliminate or at least reduce them. What other distractions do you have? You know, it's not only our interests but often our environment that can steal our focus. Think about where you work and what you're trying to accomplish. Is your environment conducive to that? Second, do you know what you need to do each day? Each week?
Lisa Zawrotny 10:43
Being very clear on goals and deadlines gives you the basis to create boundaries. Know what you need to do, let go of what you don't. Third, Are you clear on what you need? Are there two dues that require more steps than you anticipated, you may find a task taking longer than you expected for a variety of reasons. Do you have what you need to do the task? Were you aware of what it would take to do it? For? Does your tracking show that you're doing too much for the time you have? I'm guessing that's very likely for most of us. Having clear data can show you and others when you are trying to schedule unrealistically and where you need help. Five, do you see times when you are most energized? Can you spot trends and time of day or in relation to activities, spaces, and purposes that make you seriously productive? Make note of that.
Lisa Zawrotny 11:45
Step three s is rescheduling. Now that you've assessed where you can take back time and where you want your time to go, this is your chance to be proactive and specific about how you'll do that. Take your to-do list Schedule everything. It may sound counterintuitive and controlling, but it's actually the key to your freedom. When you have it in your calendar, you have it in a safe place to access when needed. You don't have to worry about forgetting and rush to do it right away, which is another time-management challenge. And by scheduling, it allows you to build in effective productivity techniques such as buffer time for when you run late and things go wrong as they inevitably will, and to schedule breaks to keep your energy up.
Lisa Zawrotny 12:35
Step four is k four keep. Now that you've taken inventory, reviewed, what belongs and what doesn't and scheduled your time. Here are some things you need to keep. Keep to your schedule. That means protecting it from others and from yourself. sometimes refer to it set alarms and maintain it. Keep track of how it's working. Are you improving are new issues coming up? It's okay if they do. Keep your distance from the things that challenge you most. Remove those game apps that are time vacuums, schedule selective social media time if you need to keep adjusting as needed. As our demands and resources change, our time management approach needs to change to keep celebrating your progress. Even if you haven't gotten to where you want to be, you are further along than you realize. Even listening to this podcast is a step in the right direction and to be celebrated. Well done. Would you like help to take your time management to TASK as a gift to my podcast listeners? I'm offering a limited number of free time management audits. Click the link in the show notes to schedule your session. We'll review your week and your goals and identify simple shifts to make The most of your time. It is not enough to be busy. The question is, what are we busy about? Henry David Thoreau.
Lisa Zawrotny 14:12
Thank you for joining me on the positively living podcast. Your time is precious and I'm honored you chose to spend it with me. If you'd like more information on today's show, you can find a link to the show notes on positively productive comm slash podcast. If you found value in the show, please click subscribe, and even better give a quick review on iTunes. It supports me and will help others find the show. If you'd like more positive content, come join me on social media positively productive on Facebook and positively underscore Lisa on Instagram. Get ready for kids, cats, and all my quirky humor over there. I look forward to having you join me next episode. Until then keep it positive and keep making space for what matters most
Transcribed by https://otter.ai